Huge FT disparity between beginning of season and currently

[sp6r=underrated]

The game was so much better at the beginning of the season. Of course the refs decided they must be the more focal point of the action, and the star wusses complained up a storm, so here we are.

It wasn't the refs wanting to be the focus. I know people who've reffed in college. All of em said to me they considered it a good game when no one talked about them

Rather the refs are trying to unlearn habits they spent years developing. The NBA told them for years call fouls on drives, even if the offense initiates, even if the shooting motion is unnatural. The NBA told refs no defensive contact should be tolerated.

Now on a dime the NBA told them to change. That is really hard to do.

What will need to happen is fans keep complaining about boring FTA games and time to get the game officated the way most of us who hate Hardenball want it.

I suspect it will be a point of emphasis next year after some marquees boring Sixers games.

[sp6r=underrated]

And the refs probably need a refresher course on what they should and shouldn't call. They're human so it's perhaps easy to fall into old habits or get mentally worn out in the dogs days of the season and blow the whistle more than they should.

This is why I defend the refs. They are trying to break really old habits. You gave a great example from modding. I started a new job 6 months ago after 6 years with a different office. 6 years is the longest tenure I've had in 1 place in my multi-decade professional life.

I've had to unlearn a lot of old habits that worked at my old place that don't work at the current job.

NBA refs are having to make a similar adjustment. As long as I see another attempt next year I'll be happy.

[DaPessimist]

You know they aren't letting them play defense anymore when guys are dropping 50+ points every week.

[LivingLegend]

I told you a while ago I thought the FIBA whistle they had for the first 2 months of the season was gone. Once they saw all of the major market /preseason favorite teams struggling with it--tbey decided to revert back to ticky tack BS

[MrBigShot]

This sucks. Everyone and their mothers is dropping 40, 50, 60 point games. Let defenders actually play defense again.

[algope]

TS last year 57,2. This year was at 54,8 at the beginning of the season and since then has gone up, is now at 56,3 the season avarage.
For example, Embiid was going to the line 8,5 times per game the first 9 games, then he was out whit covid, since he came back from covid he is going to the line 12,4 times per game. There is clearly a tendency in all the league and is evident when you see games.

[meekrab]

(Personal bit: It just occurred to me yesterday that at times when I'm modding the forums here I'll find a couple posts that legit break the rules and require moderation, and then that sometimes puts me on higher alert than really need be and I find myself perhaps overmodding on stuff that I could have let go. So maybe it's similar for the refs. You just get caught up in wanting everyone to settle the heck down and then realize you need to take a chill pill haha. I'm working on it!)

Been a moderator of other online communities and felt this myself.

[Tony15]

The game was so much better at the beginning of the season. Of course the refs decided they must be the more focal point of the action, and the star wusses complained up a storm, so here we are.

It wasn't the refs wanting to be the focus. I know people who've reffed in college. All of em said to me they considered it a good game when no one talked about them

Rather the refs are trying to unlearn habits they spent years developing. The NBA told them for years call fouls on drives, even if the offense initiates, even if the shooting motion is unnatural. The NBA told refs no defensive contact should be tolerated.

Now on a dime the NBA told them to change. That is really hard to do.

What will need to happen is fans keep complaining about boring FTA games and time to get the game officated the way most of us who hate Hardenball want it.

I suspect it will be a point of emphasis next year after some marquees boring Sixers games.

Dude...let's ALL hope. Finals scores like 90-89 & 81-79 can be just as fun too NBA.....especially when it's a result of good defense being played.

[sp6r=underrated]

I told you a while ago I thought the FIBA whistle they had for the first 2 months of the season was gone. Once they saw all of the major market /preseason favorite teams struggling with it--tbey decided to revert back to ticky tack BS

If the NBA changed the rules to help the Lakers/Warriors they failed. Both the Warriors and Lakers played better at the beginning of the season. The Sixers best month of the season was November. Only the Nets have picked it up and that is much more of a product of improved team health/morale.

Conspiracy theories are fun but the much more likely explanation is refs just reverted back to old habits.

[danvato]

the current level of foul calling is bad, but lets not pretend early season was good. early season had consistent blatant fouls be ignored, thats not the right way to go about it.

[Chuck Everett]

The star players started complaining too much. Get rid of the star system.

[Ducklett]

the current level of foul calling is bad, but lets not pretend early season was good. early season had consistent blatant fouls be ignored, thats not the right way to go about it.

We have blatant fouls ignored now.. just for the star players.

[NyKnicks1714]

At the beginning of the season there were so many blatant fouls just not being called. Was there a little overcompensation for that? Maybe, but was just not sustainable.

[RunOKC]

The games are never going to be called consistently one way or another. They'll emphasize certain things when it benefits them, but once people catch on they'll switch it up. Vegas always wins for a reason, and on top of that the league obviously props up certain players/markets. It's all about the $$$

[SkyBill40]

The officiating has been pretty abhorrent for the past two seasons. I don't know if it's because a lot of the well known, old school officials are retiring and getting replaced with less competent people or what is is... but it's bad. LOADS of games have been affected due to bad officiating. Unbalanced calls and huge free throw disparities are the norm now rather than the exception. It's giving me Tim Donaghy vibes all over again.

[HiRez]

Really bummed out about it, I thought they had a great thing going and it was so refreshing, but now it's right back to the breathe on a star and fans are watching 60+ freethrow games, depressing. Was fantastic for a few months but of course they gave in and ruined it again, game is become a joke again, and a slog to sit through in terms of entertainment value.

[BoatsNZones]

First month of the season was the best officiating I have seen in the league since the 90’s. They caved. Shame.

[SerialChiller]

Knew this would happen...really sucks i was really liking the state of the game early this year despite still too many 3s. Let them play and find a way to cut down on 3s a bit and the nba would be amazing to watch imo.

[Plossum]

I’m not sure if it’s the ref as much as players like Harden/Trae etc adjusting and finding new ways to draw fouls.

[MotownMadness]

Knew it was too good to be true